Removable insulating cover for generally cylindrical containers

ABSTRACT

A removable insulating cover for fluid containers consisting of two symmetrical portions which define a hood having oppositely disposed open and closed ends. The cover portions may be joined together by means of a zipper and are formed from multilayer material consisting of a closed cell polyurethane sandwiched between layers of polyvinyl chloride and a flexible insulating material.

United States Patent Damois Sept. 16, 1975 [54] REMOVABLE INSULATINGCOVER FOR 2,733,710 2/1956 Zibell ISO/2.2 X GENERALLY CYLINDRICALCONTAINERS 3,163,194 12/1964 Berry et al. 150/52 R 3,428,103 2/1969Walsh ISO/2.2 [75] Inventor: Pierre Damois, Le Havre, France 3,541,11/1970 Cha ui 161/160 X 3,546,058 12/1970 Loew 161/160 X [73] Assignee.Etablissements Damois Freres, Le 3,649,324 3/1972 Payne H n 161/160 XHavre, France [22] Filed: Mar. 6, 1974 Primary ExaminerPh1l1p Dier [21]Appl. No.: 448,450

[] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT July 12, 1973 France73.25617 A removable insulating cover for fluid containers con- U-S- Cl.i isting of two y 'nmetrica] portions define a 220/9 428/102; 428/320hood having oppositely disposed open and closed 1 lcl-zm 3323 5/18;1332B 7/08; 365]) /02 ends. The cover portions may be joined together by1 Field of Search /52 52 means of a zipper and are formed frommultilayer ma- 220/9 9 E, 9 53 terial consisting of a closed cellpolyurethane sandwiched between layers of polyvinyl chloride and a 1References Cited flexible insulating material.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,541,002 2/1951 Wells 150/52 R X 4 Claims, 2Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 1 6 I975 Ffel REMOVABLE INSULATING COVERFOR GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l.Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the provision ofthermal isolation and particularly to the insulating of containerswherein hot liquids are stored. More specifically, this invention isdirected to insulating covers for hot water containers. Accordingly, thegeneral objects of the present invention are to provide novel andimproved methods and apparatus of such character.

2. Description of the Prior Art There are many applications wherein itis deemed necessary or desirable to provide a cover medium for enhancingthe thermal isolation between the interior and exterior of a container.Thus, by way of example, insulating covers comprising a sheet offlexible material having a degree of elasticity and lined on one sidewith a layer of flexible insulating material are known for the purposeof covering hot water containers. Such multilayer insulating covers aretypically shaped so as to assume the form of a hood having a crown and aside wall terminating in an aperture; the hood being split from a pointintermediate the crown to the aperture to permit or facilitateinstallation of the cover and the split being adapted to be closed by azipper type fastener. A prior art insulating cover of this type isdisclosed in French Pat. No. 1,502,737.

While prior art insulating covers of the type briefly described abovehave performed satisfactorily, there has nevertheless been a desire toenhance the insulating properties thereof. Additionally, as is the casefor most products, there has also a desire to facilitate the manufactureof insulating coverswhile simultaneously reducing the cost ofproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a novel andimproved insulating cover which, while not limited thereto in itsutility, is particularly well suited for use with fluid holding vesselsand particularly hot water containers. The present invention thuscomprises an improvement over the prior art as discussed above.

In accordance with the invention an insulating cover or blanket includesa sheet of flexible material which has a preselected degree ofelasticity. A cover in accordance with the present invention alsoincludes a first layer of flexible insulating material. The first layerof flexible insulating material will typically be comprised of a porousor open celled material having good thermal isolation properties. Afurther layer of flexible insulating material, and particularly a layerof expanded polyurethane with closed cells, is sandwiched between thefirst flexible insulating material layer and the sheet of flexiblematerial. The three layer cover thus defined is formed into the shape ofa hood having a crown and a side wall terminating in an aperture. Thecover is particularly characterized by being comprised of two symmetrical parts divided along an axial median plane. The two parts areadapted to be joined together, for example, by a zipper type fastener.

The covers in accordance with the present invention being formed in twoparts, the present invention is characterized by ease and quickness ofmanufacture. The ability to manufacture the covers at a faster rate andwith less difficulties, in turn, precipitates important manufacturingeconomies. Covers in accordance with the present invention are alsocharacterized by improved thermal insulating properties as a result ofthe addition of the intermediate layer of expanded polyurethane whichprovides a barrier to the loss of heat. It is also to be noted that,because of the addition of the layer of expanded polyurethane, it ispossible to reduce the overall thickness and thus the weight of a coverwithout having a deleterious effect on its thermal insulatingproperties. A further advantage of the present invention is that the twopart covers are characterized by ease of assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention may be betterunderstood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparentto those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an insulating cover in accordance withthe invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line IIII of FIG. 1,depicting a portion of the cover of FIG. I on an enlarged scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

With reference to FIG. 1, a container which is to be provided with athermal insulating cover is indicated at 1. Container 1 is intended forthe storage of a heated fluid, for example hot water, and will generallybe in the form of a cylinder. The object of the present invention is toprovide a thermal insulating cover, as indicated generally at 2, forcontainer 1.

An insulating cover in accordance with the invention is defined by twosymmetrical sections 3 and 4 which are divided along a vertical axialmedian plane. Cover sections 3 and 4 may be joined to one another bymeans of a zipper type fastener 5.

Along their lower edges, which with the cover sections assembled definean aperture for receiving container I, cover sections 3 and 4 areprovided with a hem as indicated at 6. A ligature or draw string 7 issewn into each of the hems 6. The draw strings 7, of course, may bepulled tight and tied together to insure that the cover fits tightlyabout and thus completely envelopes the container 1.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the cover 2 of the present invention is formedfrom a first sheet 8 of flexible material which has a preselected degreeof elasticity. Sheet 8 will, in a preferred embodiment, be comprised ofpolyvinyl chloride. The cover also includes a first layer 9 of flexibleinsulating material. Layer 9 will, for example, be comprised of opencelled expanded polyure thane, fiberglass wool, rock wool or some otherequivalent material. A second insulating layer 10 is sandwiched betweenlayers 8 and 9. Layer 10 will also be flexible and will be comprised ofclosed cell expanded polyurethane. Layers 8, 9 and 10 are adhesivelybonded to one another by techniques well known in the art and arethereafter formed into the desired shape of the cover sections 3 and 4.

While a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, variousmodifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to beunderstood that the present invention has been described by ing: way ofillustration and not limitation. a sheet of said first flexiblematerial;

What iS Claimed iSI a layer of said first flexible insulating material;and

insulating cover fQr a generally cyllndrically a layer of closed cellexpanded polyurethane sandshaped container, said cover having a sidewallwhich 5 wiched between Said sheet and layer f fi t i converges to definea closed hood, said sidewall further lating material; defmmg an apemfiedlsposed Opposltely of said said second cover section havingsubstantially the same sald cover comm-Sing: size and shape as saidfirst cover section; and

a first cover section, said first cover section includzipper means forjoining said first and second cover sections along an axial medium planethrough the container, said zipper means permitting separation of saidcover sections. 2. The article of claim 1 wherein said first flexiblematerial comprises polyvinyl chloride.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein said first flexible ining:

a sheet of a first flexible material having a preselected degree ofelasticity;

a layer of a first flexible insulating material, said first insulatingmaterial being of a different material when compared to said firstflexible material;

and

a layer of closed cell expanded polyurethane sand- Sulating materialComprises Polyurethane having p wiched between said sheet and layer offirst insu- Cellslating material; 4. The article of claim 3 wherein saidfirst flexible a second cover section, said second cover sectionmaterial comprises polyvinyl chloride.

being separable from said first section and includ- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE d CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,906 ,129 DATED September16, 1975 |NVENTOR(S) Pierre Damois It is certified that error appears inthe above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 10 (Claim 1) "meduim" should be median-- ninth a) ofDecember I 9 75 [SEAL] RUTH C. MASON C. MAR Arresting Offi SHALL DANNCommissioner oj'Parenrs and Trademarks

1. AN INSULATING COVER FOR A GENERALLY CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED CONTAINERSAID COVER HAVING A SIDEWALL WHICH CONVERGES TO DEFINE A CLOSED HOODSAID SIDEWALL FURTHER DEFINING AN APERTURE DISOSED OPPOSITELY OF SAIDHOOD SAID COVER COMPRISING A FIRST COVER SECTION SAID FIRST SECTIONINCLUDING: A SHEET OF A FIRST FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING A PRESELECTEDDEGREE OF ELASTICITY, A LAYER OF A FIRST FLEXIBLE INSULATING MATERIALSAID FIRST INSULATING MATERIAL BEING OF A DIFFERENT MATERIAL WHENCOMPARED TO SAID FIRST FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND A LAYER OF CLOSED CELLEXPANDED POLYURETHANE SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID SHEET AND LAYER OF FIRSTINSULATING MATERIAL A SECOND COVER SECTION SAID SECOND SECTION BEINGSEPARABLE FROM SAID FIRST SECTION AND INCLUDING: A SHEET OF SAID FIRSTFLEXIBLE MATERIAL, A LAYER OF SAID FIRST FLEXIBLE INSULATING MATERIALAND A LAYER OF CLOSED CELL EXPANDED POLYURETHANE SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAIDSHEET AND LAYER OF FIRST INSULATING MATERIAL, SAID SECOND COVER SECTIONHAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE AND SHAPE AS SAID FIRST COVER SECTIONAND ZIPPER MEANS FOR JOINING SAID FIRST AND SECOND COVER SECTIONS ALONGAN AXIAL MEDIUM PLANE THROUGH THE CONTAINER SAID ZIPPER MEANS PERMITTINGSEPARATION OF SAID COVER SECTIONS.
 2. The article of claim 1 whereinsaid first flexible material comprises polyvinyl chloride.
 3. Thearticle of claim 1 wherein said first flexible insulating materialcomprises polyurethane having open cells.
 4. The article of claim 3wherein said first flexible material comprises polyvinyl chloride.